2004 European Parliament election in Spain

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An election was held in Spain on Sunday, 13 June 2004, as part of the EU-wide election to elect the 6th European Parliament. All 54 seats allocated to the Spanish constituency as per the Treaty of Nice were up for election.

2004 European Parliament election in Spain
← 1999
13 June 2004
2009 →
← outgoing members
elected members →
All 54 Spanish seats in the European Parliament
Opinion polls
Registered34,706,044 2.6%
Turnout15,666,491 (45.1%)
17.9 pp
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Josep Borrell Jaime Mayor Oreja Ignasi Guardans
Party PSOE PP Galeusca
Alliance PES EPP–ED ELDR (ALDE)
EPP
Leader since 2 May 2004 22 April 2004 18 January 2004
Leader's seat Spain Spain Spain
Last election 24 seats, 35.3% 27 seats, 39.7% 4 seats, 8.0%
Seats won 25 24 2
Seat change 1 3 2
Popular vote 6,741,112 6,393,192 798,816
Percentage 43.5% 41.2% 5.1%
Swing 8.2 pp 1.5 pp 2.9 pp
  Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party
 
Leader Willy Meyer Bernat Joan Alejandro Rojas-Marcos
Party IU–ICV–EUiA Europe of the Peoples (2004) CE
Alliance GUE/NGL
Greens/EFA 		Greens/EFA ELDR (ALDE)
Greens/EFA
Leader since 8 May 2004 17 April 1999 2004
Leader's seat Spain Spain Spain
Last election 4 seats, 6.5% 2 seats, 1.1% 2 seats, 3.4%
Seats won 2 1 0
Seat change 2 1 2
Popular vote 643,136 380,709 197,231
Percentage 4.1% 2.5% 1.3%
Swing 2.4 pp 1.4 pp 2.1 pp

The election saw a close race between the centre-left Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE), which had accessed power earlier in April in the wake of the 11M train bombings leading up to the 14 March general election, and the centre-right People's Party (PP), still reeling from its election defeat. It marked the only time the PSOE emerged as the largest party in a European Parliament election in Spain between 1989 and 2019. It also saw a considerable drop in turnout down to 45.1%, the lowest up until that point—a figure that would be outmatched by the turnout in the two subsequent European Parliament elections, 2009 (44.9%) and 2014 (43.8%).

Electoral system

54 members of the European Parliament were allocated to Spain as per the Treaty of Nice. Voting was on the basis of universal suffrage, which comprised all nationals and resident non-national European citizens over 18 years of age and in full enjoyment of their political rights.

All seats were elected using the D'Hondt method and a closed list proportional voting system, with no electoral threshold being applied to be entitled to enter seat distribution. Seats were allocated to a single multi-member constituency comprising the entire national territory. The use of the electoral method resulted in an effective threshold based on the district magnitude and the distribution of votes among candidacies.

The law did not provide for by-elections to fill vacated seats; instead, any vacancies that occurred after the proclamation of candidates and into the legislative term were to be covered by the successive candidates in the list and, when required, by the designated substitutes.

Outgoing delegation

Outgoing delegation in May 2004
Groups Parties MEPs
Seats Total
European People's Party–European Democrats PP 26 28
UPN 1
UDC 1
Party of European Socialists PSOE 23 24
LV 1
European United Left–Nordic Green Left IU 4 4
Greens–European Free Alliance BNG 1 4
ERC 1
PAR 1
BNV 1
European Liberal Democrat and Reform Party CDC 1 3
EAJ/PNV 1
UV 1
Non-Inscrits INDEP 1 1

Parties and candidates

The electoral law allowed for parties and federations registered in the interior ministry, coalitions and groupings of electors to present lists of candidates. Parties and federations intending to form a coalition ahead of an election were required to inform the relevant Electoral Commission within ten days of the election call. In order to be entitled to run, parties, federations, coalitions and groupings of electors needed to secure the signature of at least 15,000 registered electors; this requirement could be lifted and replaced through the signature of at least 50 elected officials—deputies, senators, MEPs or members from the legislative assemblies of autonomous communities or from local city councils. Electors and elected officials were disallowed from signing for more than one list of candidates.

Below is a list of the main parties and electoral alliances which contested the election:

Candidacy Parties and
alliances 		Leading candidate Ideology Previous result Ref.
Vote % Seats
PP
List
  • People's Party (PP)
  • Navarrese People's Union (UPN)
Jaime Mayor Oreja Conservatism
Christian democracy 		39.7% 27
PSOE
List
  • Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
  • Socialists' Party of Catalonia (PSC)
  • The Greens (LV)
Josep Borrell Social democracy 35.3% 24
Galeusca
List
  • Convergence and Union (CiU)
  • Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV)
  • Galician Nationalist Bloc (BNG)
  • Valencian Nationalist Bloc (BNV)
  • PSM–Nationalist Agreement (PSM–EN)
Ignasi Guardans Peripheral nationalism
8.0%
 4
IU–ICV–EUiA
List
  • United Left (IU)
  • Initiative for Catalonia Greens–United and Alternative Left (ICV–EUiA)
  • Republican Left (IR)
  • Independent Socialists of Extremadura (SIEx)
  • Bloc for Asturias (BA)
  • The Greens of the Balearic Islands (EVIB)
Willy Meyer Socialism
Communism
6.5%
 4
CE
List
  • Andalusian Party (PA)
  • Canarian Coalition (CC)
  • Valencian Union (UV)
  • Aragonese Party (PAR)
  • Majorcan Union (UM)
  • Convergence of Democrats of Navarre (CDN)
  • United Extremadura (EU)
  • Asturianist Party (PAS)
Alejandro Rojas-Marcos Regionalism
3.4%
 2
EdP
List
  • Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC)
  • Basque Solidarity (EA)
  • Aragonese Union (CHA)
  • Socialist Party of Andalusia (PSA)
  • Left Assembly–Initiative for Andalusia (A–IZ)
  • Andecha Astur (AA)
  • Cantabrian Nationalist Council (CNC)
  • Citizen Initiative of La Rioja (ICLR)
Bernat Joan Peripheral nationalism
1.1%
 2

The abertzale left tried to run under the umbrella of the Herritarren Zerrenda list (Basque for "Citizens' List"). However, the Spanish Supreme Court annulled HZ lists and banned them from running on 22 May 2004, as it considered that the candidacy's promoters and half of its candidates had links with the outlawed Batasuna and with the ETA environment.

Opinion polls

The tables below list opinion polling results in reverse chronological order, showing the most recent first and using the dates when the survey fieldwork was done, as opposed to the date of publication. Where the fieldwork dates are unknown, the date of publication is given instead. The highest percentage figure in each polling survey is displayed with its background shaded in the leading party's colour. If a tie ensues, this is applied to the figures with the highest percentages. The "Lead" column on the right shows the percentage-point difference between the parties with the highest percentages in a poll.

Voting intention estimates

The table below lists weighted voting intention estimates. Refusals are generally excluded from the party vote percentages, while question wording and the treatment of "don't know" responses and those not intending to vote may vary between polling organisations. When available, seat projections determined by the polling organisations are displayed below (or in place of) the percentages in a smaller font.

Color key:

  Exit poll

Voting preferences

The table below lists raw, unweighted voting preferences.

Victory preferences

The table below lists opinion polling on the victory preferences for each party in the event of a European Parliament election taking place.

Victory likelihood

The table below lists opinion polling on the perceived likelihood of victory for each party in the event of a European Parliament election taking place.

Results

Overall

← Summary of the 13 June 2004 European Parliament election results in Spain →
Parties and alliances Popular vote Seats
Votes % ±pp Total +/−
Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) 6,741,112 43.46 +8.13 25 +1
People's Party (PP) 6,393,192 41.21 +1.47 24 −3
Galeusca–Peoples of Europe (Galeusca)1 798,816 5.15 −2.87 2 −2
United Left–Initiative for Catalonia Greens–EUiA (IU–ICV–EUiA)2 643,136 4.15 −2.36 2 −2
Europe of the Peoples (EdP)3 380,709 2.45 +1.34 1 −1
European Coalition (CE)4 197,231 1.27 −2.17 0 −2
The Greens–European Green Group (LV–GVE)5 68,536 0.44 −0.22 0 ±0
Cannabis Party for Legalisation and Normalisation (PCLyN) 54,460 0.35 New 0 ±0
Aralar (Aralar) 19,993 0.13 New 0 ±0
Socialist Action Party (PASOC) 13,810 0.09 New 0 ±0
Democratic and Social Centre (CDS) 11,820 0.08 −0.10 0 ±0
For a Fairer World (PUM+J) 9,202 0.06 New 0 ±0
Popular Unity Candidacy (CUP) 8,180 0.05 New 0 ±0
Internationalist Socialist Workers' Party (POSI)6 7,976 0.05 +0.02 0 ±0
Family and Life Party (PFyV) 7,958 0.05 New 0 ±0
New Green Left (NIV) 6,876 0.04 New 0 ±0
National Democracy (DN) 6,314 0.04 ±0.00 0 ±0
The Phalanx (FE) 5,935 0.04 −0.01 0 ±0
The Unemployed (Los Parados) 5,314 0.03 New 0 ±0
Commoners' Land–Castilian Nationalist Party (TC–PNC) 5,267 0.03 −0.03 0 ±0
Spanish Phalanx of the CNSO (FE–JONS) 4,484 0.03 New 0 ±0
Communist Party of the Peoples of Spain–Internationalist Struggle (PCPE–LI) 4,281 0.03 −0.09 0 ±0
Humanist Party (PH) 3,923 0.03 −0.03 0 ±0
Spanish Democratic Party (PADE) 3,454 0.02 −0.06 0 ±0
Regionalist Party of the Leonese Country (PREPAL) 3,308 0.02 −0.01 0 ±0
Catalan State (EC) 2,594 0.02 New 0 ±0
We–People's Unity (Nós–UP) 2,516 0.02 New 0 ±0
Authentic Phalanx (FA) 2,008 0.01 New 0 ±0
Liberal Coalition (CL) 1,719 0.01 New 0 ±0
Carlist Party (PC) 1,600 0.01 New 0 ±0
Liberal Centrist Union (UCL) 1,544 0.01 New 0 ±0
Basque Citizens (EH) n/a n/a −1.45 0 −1
Blank ballots 95,014 0.61 −1.08
Total 15,512,282 54 −10
Valid votes 15,512,282 99.02 −0.19
Invalid votes 154,209 0.98 +0.19
Votes cast / turnout 15,666,491 45.14 −17.91
Abstentions 19,039,553 54.86 +17.91
Registered voters 34,706,044
Sources
Footnotes:
  • 1 Galeusca–Peoples of Europe results are compared to the combined totals of Convergence and Union, Nationalist Coalition–Europe of the Peoples in the Basque Country and Navarre and Galician Nationalist Bloc in the 1999 election.
  • 2 United Left–Initiative for Catalonia Greens–EUiA results are compared to the combined totals of United Left–United and Alternative Left and The Greens–Left of the Peoples in Catalonia in the 1999 election.
  • 3 Europe of the Peoples results are compared to the combined totals of Nationalist Coalition–Europe of the Peoples—not including results in the Balearic Islands, the Basque Country and Navarre—, The Greens–Left of the Peoples in Aragon and Andecha Astur in the 1999 election.
  • 4 European Coalition (2004) results are compared to the combined totals of European Coalition (1999), Nationalist Coalition–Europe of the Peoples in the Balearic Islands, United Extremadura and Asturianist Party in the 1999 election.
  • 5 The Greens–European Green Group results are compared to The Greens–Green Group totals in the 1999 election.
  • 6 Internationalist Socialist Workers' Party results are compared to Coalition for the Repeal of the Maastricht Treaty totals in the 1999 election.
Popular vote
PSOE
 
 43.46%
PP
 
 41.21%
Galeusca
 
 5.15%
IU–ICV–EUiA
 
 4.15%
EdP
 
 2.45%
CE
 
 1.27%
Others
 
 1.70%
Blank ballots
 
 0.61%
Seats
PSOE
 
 46.30%
PP
 
 44.44%
Galeusca
 
 3.70%
IU–ICV–EUiA
 
 3.70%
EdP
 
 1.85%

Maps

Distribution by European group

Summary of political group distribution in the 6th European Parliament (2004–2009)
Groups Parties Seats Total %
Party of European Socialists (PES)
  • Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE)
 24 24 44.44
European People's Party–European Democrats (EPP–ED)
  • People's Party (PP)
  • Navarrese People's Union (UPN)
 23
1 		24 44.44
Greens–European Free Alliance (Greens/EFA)
  • Confederation of the Greens (LV)
  • Initiative for Catalonia Greens (ICV)
  • Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC)
 1
1
1 		3 5.56
Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE)
  • Democratic Convergence of Catalonia (CDC)
  • Basque Nationalist Party (EAJ/PNV)
 1
1 		2 3.70
European United Left–Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL)
  • United Left (IU)
 1 1 1.85
Total 54 54 100.00

Elected legislators

The following table lists the elected legislators:

Bibliography

  • Ley Orgánica 5/1985, de 19 de junio, del Régimen Electoral General (Organic Law 5/1985). Boletín Oficial del Estado (in Spanish). Vol. 147. 19 June 1985 [version as of 29 November 2003]. ISSN 0212-033X. BOE-A-1985-11672. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
  • Treaty of Nice amending the Treaty on European Union, the Treaties establishing the European Communities and certain related acts (2001/C 80/01). Official Journal of the European Union. Vol. 44. 10 March 2001. ISSN 1725-2423. 12001C/TXT. Retrieved 11 November 2023.

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